AT THE SEME/BADAGRY CORRIDOR, ALL STARS WORKING FOR COMPT ABDULLAHI KAILA, INCLUDING SUCCESS
By Timothy Paul Okorocha
Talk of leadership qualities and the Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Seme Border Command, Badagry Lagos, Comptroller Abdullahi Shuaibu Kaila, readily comes to mind. Stakeholders of the Command confirmed that Comptroller Kaila is a thorough-bred Customs Chief versed in the areas of Enforcement and border security maintenance, trade facilitation, revenue generation, stakeholders engagement, interagency collaboration and intelligence-driven operations that resulted in high-profile seizures of illicit and harmful goods that would have entered the country unnoticed.
Comptroller Kaila’s deployment to the Seme Border Command earlier in the year was viewed by critical supporting allies of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS)as the effort of the Service’s management to put a round peg in a round hole. Indeed, Kaila’s headship of the Command since this year, many said, has awakened a new dimension of operations by the men and officers of the Command which have made the corridor a nightmare for smugglers.
Following his deployment, Kaila was to hit the ground running immediately, and pledged to eradicate any hindrances affecting the free movement of legitimate goods and persons along the Lagos-Abidjan business corridor through robust collaboration and engagement with critical stakeholders.
Beginning with familiarisation visits to traditional rulers and heads of sister security agencies, he restated his commitment to achieving the goals and objectives of the Service in line with the Federal Government’s economic policies. During those visits, Kaila had solicited the support of stakeholders to enable the Command under his watch achieve the NCS’s core mandate of generating revenue, facilitating trade and suppressing smuggling.
He also did not waste time in deploying strategic approach to ensure water-tight security in recognition of the Command’s diplomatic link between Nigeria and the West African subregion.
Recall the crisis that smouldered at the border post before his arrival as the CAC, but under Comptroller Kaila, the Command has now, according to watchers of the border activities, become the symbol of Nigeria’s commitment to regional integration, maintenance of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS’ ) protocols and cross-border cooperation.
As one of the busiest land borders in the West African subregion, the Seme Border Customs Command facilitates the free movement of legitimate people and goods among the ECOWAS member states. Kaila’s administration has streamlined processes to ensure compliance with regional agreements, balancing Nigeria’s economic interests with its diplomatic obligations.
Under his watch, the Seme Border Customs Command has not only met its statutory obligations of revenue generation and anti-smuggling enforcement, it has also embraced its broader role as a diplomatic and socio-economic bridge between Nigeria and the West African subregion.
Kaila’s focus on deploying technology and intelligence-driven operations to combat smuggling activities have received commendation from the critical supporting allies of the NCS. These insisted that the Command’s new wave of confronting smuggling syndicates that had terrorized the border was unprecedented.
A very critical component of the operations of the Kaila-led leadership of the Command is the ability to detect threats to national security and public health. For example, the Command recently announced the seizure of over 3,300 cartridges of explosive materials from Ghana which were illegally conveyed through the border corridor onward to Nigeria.
Besides collecting ₦19.84 billion as revenue between January and July 2026, the Command has intensified the protection of the nation’s public health and economy by intercepting 1,306 sacks of 50 kilograms of expired and waste noodles, 532 packs of illicit drugs, 310,000 sticks of cigarettes, 1,268 bags of 50 kilograms of foreign parboiled rice among such other illicit items smuggled via the border post.
The CAC who recently addressed a media briefing while parading the impounded items, attributed the interceptions to the professionalism and commitment of his officers and men, stressing that Nigeria had been saved from what would have culminated in another season of violence and banditry if the 3,300 cartridges of explosive devices purportedly shipped from Ghana entered the country.
Kaila also announced a surge in the Command’s revenue generation from January to July 2026, revealing that its revenue increased by 24.45 percent by N3.899 billion from the N15.9 billion recorded same period in 2025 to N19.84 billion, a development that signaled higher revenue collections by the end of 2026.
He had explained that the media briefing was not merely intended to display the massive seizures, but also to tell the story behind them, adding, “Every interception made by this Command represents a deliberate choice between patriotism and greed, between lawful trade and criminality, between protecting Nigerians and allowing dangerous goods to infiltrate our borders.
“The items are more than confiscated contrabands. They are evidence of the collaboration, professionalism and commitment of officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service to protecting our nation. Every seizure recorded reflects our resolve to secure Nigeria’s borders, facilitate legitimate trade, generate revenue for national development and deny criminal networks the opportunity to undermine our economy, national security and public health.”
Kaila further explained that a huge part of the seizures directly concerned the health and well-being of millions of Nigerians, adding that following credible intelligence, officers of the Seme Area Command intercepted a truck that was deceptively declared to be carrying food items.
“But acting on intelligence and sustained surveillance, our officers subjected the consignment to thorough examination and uncovered 1,306 sacks of expired and waste noodles, each weighing 50 kilograms. What we discovered was deeply disturbing because most of the products had already deteriorated and were visibly decomposing. Intelligence further revealed that the intention was to repackage, relabel and introduce the products into Nigerian markets for unsuspecting consumers.
“Had this shipment succeeded, countless families would have been exposed to serious health hazards ranging from food poisoning and gastrointestinal diseases to other life-threatening medical complications. By intercepting these products, the Nigeria Customs Service has once again demonstrated that border security is also a form of public health protection. Every child, every family and every Nigerian has been protected from what could have become a silent public health disaster.”
The CAC stressed that beyond denying government legitimate revenue, such illicit importation would undermine the Federal Government’s agricultural policies, discourage local rice production and threaten the livelihoods of Nigerian farmers.
On the Command’s resolve to further combat illicit drugs and harmful substances, Kaila noted that the fight against illicit drugs remained one of the NCS’s critical contributions to national security and public safety.
According to him, “Pursuant to this, the Command intercepted 373 parcels of Cannabis Sativa, 90 packs of Tramaking 250mg, 69 packs of Royal Tapentadol 250mg and 310,000 sticks of Time/Yes cigarettes. These are not ordinary commodities, they are dangerous products capable of destroying lives, fueling criminality, encouraging substance abuse and undermining the future of our young people.
“The seized illicit drugs intercepted are often linked to cultism, armed robbery, violent crimes and other social vices, while smuggled cigarettes evade health regulations, avoid payment of statutory duties and expose consumers to products outside approved quality standards. Through these interceptions, the Seme Area Command has disrupted criminal supply chains and prevented these dangerous products from reaching our communities”.
Speaking on safeguarding national security, Comptroller Kaila disclosed that among the seizures displayed were the ones that posed the greatest threat to national security, adding that, “Our officers intercepted 3,300 cartridges of explosive materials being illegally conveyed through the border corridor.
“Explosives of this nature have devastating consequences when they fall into the hands of criminal elements. They have the potential to facilitate terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes capable of threatening national peace and security. The successful interception of these explosives demonstrates the vigilance, professionalism and intelligence-driven operations of our officers, working in close collaboration with sister security agencies.
“Considering the sensitive nature of the seizure, the explosive materials have already been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit for safe custody and further investigation”.
Kaila assured the Nigerian public that his leadership was committed to denying all die-hard smugglers any opportunities to wreak havoc on the security and welfare of the citizens. He had said, “While we continue to deny smugglers opportunities to undermine the economy, we remain equally committed to creating an enabling environment for compliant traders to conduct legitimate business with ease and predictability”.
Kaila disclosed that the illicit drugs and unregistered pharmaceutical products were handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further investigation and necessary action, while the explosive materials (and a suspect) have already been transferred to the Nigeria Police Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit due to their highly sensitive nature.
The Comptroller Kaila’s efforts at the Seme Border Command is being likened to a man deploying his magic wand in rattling smugglers through tight security and restoration of sanity at the Seme-Krake frontier, a situation that has prompted stakeholders to demand a conferment of national honours on him due to his sterling performance within the short period he has assumed leadership of the Command.
[8/31, 4:15 AM] Oga: AT THE SEME/BADAGRY CORRIDOR, ALL STARS WORKING FOR COMPT ABDULLAHI KAILA, INCLUDING SUCCESS
[8/31, 4:17 AM] Oga: Border Security:
Diary Of Compt Kaila’s Breakthroughs
By…
Besides collecting ₦19.84 billion as revenue between January and July 2026, the Command has intensified the protection of the nation’s public health and economy by intercepting 1,306 sacks of 50 kilograms of expired and waste noodles, 532 packs of illicit drugs, 310,000 sticks of cigarettes, 1,268 bags of 50 kilograms of foreign parboiled rice among such other illicit items smuggled via the border post.
The CAC who recently addressed a media briefing while parading the impounded items, attributed the interceptions to the professionalism and commitment of his officers and men, stressing that Nigeria had been saved from what would have culminated in another season of violence and banditry if the 3,300 cartridges of explosive devices purportedly shipped from Ghana entered the country.
Kaila also announced a surge in the Command’s revenue generation from January to July 2026, revealing that its revenue increased by 24.45 percent by N3.899 billion from the N15.9 billion recorded same period in 2025 to N19.84 billion, a development that signaled higher revenue collections by the end of 2026.
He had explained that the media briefing was not merely intended to display the massive seizures, but also to tell the story behind them, adding, “Every interception made by this Command represents a deliberate choice between patriotism and greed, between lawful trade and criminality, between protecting Nigerians and allowing dangerous goods to infiltrate our borders.
“The items are more than confiscated contrabands. They are evidence of the collaboration, professionalism and commitment of officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service to protecting our nation. Every seizure recorded reflects our resolve to secure Nigeria’s borders, facilitate legitimate trade, generate revenue for national development and deny criminal networks the opportunity to undermine our economy, national security and public health.”
Kaila further explained that a huge part of the seizures directly concerned the health and well-being of millions of Nigerians, adding that following credible intelligence, officers of the Seme Area Command intercepted a truck that was deceptively declared to be carrying food items.
“But acting on intelligence and sustained surveillance, our officers subjected the consignment to thorough examination and uncovered 1,306 sacks of expired and waste noodles, each weighing 50 kilograms. What we discovered was deeply disturbing because most of the products had already deteriorated and were visibly decomposing. Intelligence further revealed that the intention was to repackage, relabel and introduce the products into Nigerian markets for unsuspecting consumers.
“Had this shipment succeeded, countless families would have been exposed to serious health hazards ranging from food poisoning and gastrointestinal diseases to other life-threatening medical complications. By intercepting these products, the Nigeria Customs Service has once again demonstrated that border security is also a form of public health protection. Every child, every family and every Nigerian has been protected from what could have become a silent public health disaster.”
The CAC stressed that beyond denying government legitimate revenue, such illicit importation would undermine the Federal Government’s agricultural policies, discourage local rice production and threaten the livelihoods of Nigerian farmers.
On the Command’s resolve to further combat illicit drugs and harmful substances, Kaila noted that the fight against illicit drugs remained one of the NCS’s critical contributions to national security and public safety.
According to him, “Pursuant to this, the Command intercepted 373 parcels of Cannabis Sativa, 90 packs of Tramaking 250mg, 69 packs of Royal Tapentadol 250mg and 310,000 sticks of Time/Yes cigarettes. These are not ordinary commodities, they are dangerous products capable of destroying lives, fueling criminality, encouraging substance abuse and undermining the future of our young people.
“The seized illicit drugs intercepted are often linked to cultism, armed robbery, violent crimes and other social vices, while smuggled cigarettes evade health regulations, avoid payment of statutory duties and expose consumers to products outside approved quality standards. Through these interceptions, the Seme Area Command has disrupted criminal supply chains and prevented these dangerous products from reaching our communities”.
Speaking on safeguarding national security, Comptroller Kaila disclosed that among the seizures displayed were the ones that posed the greatest threat to national security, adding that, “Our officers intercepted 3,300 cartridges of explosive materials being illegally conveyed through the border corridor.
“Explosives of this nature have devastating consequences when they fall into the hands of criminal elements. They have the potential to facilitate terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes capable of threatening national peace and security. The successful interception of these explosives demonstrates the vigilance, professionalism and intelligence-driven operations of our officers, working in close collaboration with sister security agencies.
“Considering the sensitive nature of the seizure, the explosive materials have already been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit for safe custody and further investigation”.
Kaila assured the Nigerian public that his leadership was committed to denying all die-hard smugglers any opportunities to wreak havoc on the security and welfare of the citizens. He had said, “While we continue to deny smugglers opportunities to undermine the economy, we remain equally committed to creating an enabling environment for compliant traders to conduct legitimate business with ease and predictability”.
Kaila disclosed that the illicit drugs and unregistered pharmaceutical products were handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further investigation and necessary action, while the explosive materials (and a suspect) have already been transferred to the Nigeria Police Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit due to their highly sensitive nature.
The Comptroller Kaila’s efforts at the Seme Border Command is being likened to a man deploying his magic wand in rattling smugglers through tight security and restoration of sanity at the Seme-Krake frontier, a situation that has prompted stakeholders to demand a conferment of national honours on him due to his sterling performance within the short period he has assumed leadership of the Command.